Barack Obama awarded 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

by mudricky | October 9, 2009 at 01:13 am

2032 views | 89 Recommendations | 59 comments

President Barack Obama has been awared the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples".

The committee said they agreed with Obama's "vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons".

Already many news commentators from various media sites have question this award and that it 'may be to early to judge Obamas work'.

The Nobel Committee said on issuing the award: "Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future"

"His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population."

The prize worth 10 million Swedish kronor ($1.4m/£880,000) includes a gold medal and a diploma, all the prizes will be presented to Obama in Oslo on December 10.

Some of the favourites this year were Zimbabwe's prime minister and a Chinese dissident, There was a record total of 205 nominations for the title.

Weblinks: The Nobel Foundation

THE SELECTION PROCESS

Those qualified to nominate candidates include members of national governments, international judiciary, academics and previous prize winners

Five Norwegians are chosen by Norway's parliament to sit on the Nobel Committee

The committee compiles a shortlist of between five and 20 candidates

The shortlist is considered by the Nobel Institute's permanent advisers, mainly Norwegian academics

The Nobel Committee chooses the winner

Details of the nominations and selection process are kept secret for 50 years

US President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
The Nobel Committee said he was awarded it for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples".

There were a record 205 nominations for this year's prize.

The laureate - chosen by a five-member committee - wins a gold medal, a diploma and 10m Swedish kronor ($1.4m).

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caj1

at 01:44 on October 9th, 2009

Mudricky, I learned it from you first! Congratulations on the fast post, and also to President Barack Obama for the Nobel Prize award.

charliemcmillan

at 02:01 on October 9th, 2009

it's a bit early for something like that... I would say this is wrong

caj1

at 02:10 on October 9th, 2009

No, not too early. Not wrong.

albertacowpoke

at 02:15 on October 9th, 2009

But why? In recent times no sitting US President has received the Nobel Peace Prize - and some of them worked hard to create peace and stability in the world. Gorbachev was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 but Reagan was ignored.

And if there's one US President who deserved the Nobel Peace Prize it was Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton, while in office got the Israeli Palestinian Agreement signed, played a key role in bringing the official conflct between Jordan and Israel, and was a principal Character albeit behind the scenes in the Northern Ireland Peace Process - and has been a great humanitarian since leaving office and there is no Nobel Prize for him. So why Mr. Obama and why now?

Especially his achievements in this area are negligible and there has not been much progress on the peace front in any one of the major hot spots in the world since President Obama took office. Well of course there was for soaring rhetoric - but is that good enough for the Nobel Peace Prize.

This is very much real. Obama was awarded this prize based on his efforts. This includes his Cairo speech to the Muslim world and his efforts to sit down with the Iranian regime.

The award is definitely controversial and will, no doubt, be in the talking points of all the talk radio hosts today.

Congratulations to Barrack Obama. How is efforts for peace will play out, remains to be seen. In any case he has made the effort, which was enough for the Nobel Peace Prize Committee.

Good work mudricky.

D Flynn (not verified)

at 09:32 on October 13th, 2009

Why does everyone keep pointing to his speeches to the Muslim world? They weren't given until June 2009 and the nominations closed on Feb 1st. The other mysterious fact is that no where can you find who or when Obama was nominated.

mudricky

at 02:13 on October 9th, 2009

The award is certainly unexpected and might be regarded as more of an encouragement for intentions than a reward for achievements.

After all, the president has been in office for a little over eight months and he might hope to serve eight years. His ambition for a world free of nuclear weapons is one that is easier to declare than to achieve and a climate control agreement has yet to be reached.

Indeed, the citation indicates that it is President Obama's world view that attracted the Nobel committee - that diplomacy should be founded "on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population".

Paul Reynolds
BBC News, London

Babel-Fish

at 02:18 on October 9th, 2009

Well it's about time his efforts have been recognized, his world rating is on a high and the beauty is he has to live up to the award and keep on pushing for a more peaceful world. Glad to see the first black American president achieving something special, his efforts at home may not of been regard as they have been overseas especially by those that support the republican party.

This is going to really annoy the republicans on the far right, lol.

albertacowpoke

at 02:33 on October 9th, 2009

The fact that deliberations on this concluded in February, it was very early in his Presidency. I have read a few comments around the world on this this morning. The reaction is mixed from both the right and the left. Most are surprised. Nevertheless I'm with you in congratulating President Obama on this award. For the sake of the world I hope that his intentions of a nuke free world and cooperation with the muslim world succeed.

Colonel Boyle

at 04:56 on October 9th, 2009

I don't think I've ever seen such a biased, partisan attribution of award to someone. I'm not American and am pretty agnostic about the politics over there, but it's pretty clear that this is an aware designed to deliver another slap to Bush. Much like the literature award going to Harold Pinter's woeful, sixth-form anti-war 'poetry' a couple of years back, or Al Gore's award.

There is still no peace in the Middle East - not even so much as a meeting between the parties. Not a single nuclear missile has been decommissioned.War is continuing in Afghanistan - and may even be stepped up.

I don't doubt his intentions - nor his ability to achieve things given time - but there is no justification for this award. None.

I'm sure given the fierce partisanship over there, "annoying the Republicans" might seem like a good outcome, but this award is supposed to be a significant and rare honour for someone who has transformed a situation in the world.

D. Flynn (not verified)

at 09:36 on October 13th, 2009

BRAVO!!!!

J2B (not verified)

at 02:22 on October 9th, 2009

Is it award to Obama "the man" or Obama "The President?"Is this the first time a sitting president has won the award?Who was the last black person to win the award?Congrats to Obama, and congrats to all Black Americans!"This will put the hen among the chickens, or is it the fox or maybe the right-wing extremists?"There will be a whole bunch of insane people this weekend, we'll probably get a few here on NP?YouTube Videowww.youtube.com/watch?v=hPv_t6HHEHI&feature=player_embedded

albertacowpoke

at 02:34 on October 9th, 2009

Here is the view form CBC Canada.

The committee attached special importance to Obama's vision and work for a world without nuclear weapons in the prize citation, which was read in Oslo on Friday.

"The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations," the citation said.

The Nobel committee said Obama has created a new climate in international politics that has focused on multilateral diplomacy and an emphasis on the role of the United Nations and other international institutions.

"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the citation said.

jefhow22

at 02:29 on October 9th, 2009

["This is going to really annoy the republicans on the far right"...]

I think it is going to annoy the citizens of the US on either side of the aisle. The only benefit I see for the O is that it will take some of the heat off of him for his inability to pay attention and fix things in the US. Just an opinion here not a personal attack...

albertacowpoke

at 02:38 on October 9th, 2009

Jeff\ the reaction around the world is similar to yours. Most think that this is too early before the fruits of his outreach are seen. I am not sure that this will take the heat off Obama, I think it puts pressure on him to be successful in his efforts of international diplomacy.

caj1

at 03:11 on October 9th, 2009

I see your point jefhow22, but I disagree that it will annoy U.S. citizens "on either side of the aisle." I think it's a timely award on the part of the Nobel Peace Prize committee. Like his presidential predecessors (Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson), President Obama has worked hard for peace in his eight months in office and he has the potential for achieving more.

nanute

at 03:15 on October 9th, 2009

Congratulations to President Obama. I think this was a communist plot to see whose head will explode first: Rush Limbaugh's or Glenn Beck's.

Roy C

at 07:18 on October 9th, 2009

Actually, very funny, Nanute.

Hugh Askew

at 03:19 on October 9th, 2009

Well if that don't beat all.

They decided this back in February? One month after he took office?

Wow......no political leanings in that vote.

marianmo

at 03:21 on October 9th, 2009

good post

stringsofhypocrisy (not verified)

at 04:02 on October 9th, 2009

He was given this prestigious award for "efforts". I should assume that GOOD parents should be awarded the same...at least their attempts are merited and seen through to the end. This president has proven to be all bark and no bite. When we see results, then MAYBE he should be CONSIDERED for the Nobel Peace Prize. Until then, go flaunt your expensive suits on late night shows and parade your lovely family around baseball games Mr. President.

MDewie (not verified)

at 04:34 on October 9th, 2009

Are you serious? Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel peace prize more on the basis of his values and vision than for his concrete achievements. Nominations for the prize closed on February 1 - less than two weeks after his inauguration on January 20. Source: www.metro.co.uk/news/world/article.html?Does_Barack_Obama_deserve_the_Nobel_Peace_Prize?&in_article_id=750176&in_page_id=64 BTW - Democrats can keep patting themselves on the back, while watching America go up in flames.

sara star

at 04:52 on October 9th, 2009

Hi Mudricky

This story was posted earlier already. A reminder to everyone that it is only polite to use the search tool to see if someone else has posted it already.

mudricky

at 21:59 on October 10th, 2009

The first thing I did was check before I posted. When I posted mine it had only happened so I checked that last few stories uploaded and there was nothing.

Since then there has been a few copy stories. This one below was not long after me: http://my.nowpublic.com/world/barack-obama-nobel-peace-2009-award if that's the story you mean.

If logs for the other stories state I posted after them then it isn't correct.

I have in the past removed any stories if I have posted after someone else.

huh? (not verified)

at 05:09 on October 9th, 2009

albertacowpoke

at 05:19 on October 9th, 2009

I was in the process of reporting this story when mudricky.s was the only one that showed as having been published. I assume that he was the first then. I didn.t publish my story then.

sara star

at 04:54 on October 9th, 2009

Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future.

This may be true but it is way too early to tell, my thoughts....

mudricky

at 05:02 on October 9th, 2009

must agree with you there...

rng

at 12:42 on October 9th, 2009

I agree too. I think you should have some body of work to base such an award upon, he may well have good intents but that should not mean he wins an award based on those alone, he has to actualize them first

Blue Crush

at 05:41 on October 9th, 2009

A Whitehouse official says the President "humbled" to be selected by the committee, and he is to speak live 10:30 am ET.

QueensHart

at 05:59 on October 9th, 2009

I wonder how the others who were nominated (do they know who they are..the committee) feel about someone who gets it because they MIGHT do something?

The "child man" did NOTHING before he was elected but work on whitewashing and concealing everything he could from his records in the senate to his school records sealed. Oh well, how many people authentic, compassionate, true humanitarians(these kind of people do not need them or even want them) really do get the man made crowns that we see who are like the WIZARD OF OZ ..except O has a writer and even a prompter. He totally whitewashed his Mother and Father's history which all dysfunctional children do; but his purposes was literally to make them look good and puff himself up to look good to the international's and blacks. He wants to be seen as the mudhut kid who rose to the whitehouse. He never worked and used our government to pay for all his education but we cannot see his records?

He may look good to the world because of his belief in every relgion and that he may have dna from several continents but he is destroying some cornerstones of the USA and will not be a leader for long. Now after he leaves the Presidency he can go and run the UN or sit on the committee of the Nobel Peace Prize. I am sure they would just get a tingle up their leg to sit next to him.

I read that someone suggested we lower the flag for a death in the country for "thinking'. This award was for "feeling". Obama made the world "feel" good yeah but he has been making many Americans feel very bad about how bad it will be for their children and "grands" to pay off the debt he wants to keep piling up. We all know all the anti americanism and it's not about the wars all the time . Now O is being prepped to make his speeches all over the world for tons of money like the Clintons when he loses his first real "job" as President ...for he will and I am not a republican whining. These people like Gore and Obama have no connection to a conscience...

Somebody tell us who is on the peace committee? whoops ...they have been going so far from what the program started to be for they elected Jim Gob Carter and Al Bull who Gores for his global climate hoax.